Spain Park rallies to hand Thompson first loss

Matt Conde

Sports Editor

HOOVER — The Thompson High School baseball team visited Spain Park Feb. 22 in a quest to remain undefeated in the Birmingham Metro tournament.

After handing rival Pelham its first loss of the season Feb. 20 with an 8-4 win over the Panthers,Thompson went out to keep its undefeated streak alive.

The Warriors couldn't keep their winning streak alive, as Spain Park came from behind to defeatThompson, 6-4.

“Like another area opponent, they are all good teams and it comes down to who makes plays on defense,” said Thompson coach Pat Hamrick.

Thompson (6-1) had a rough night at the plate. The Warriors faded after jumping out to an early 2-0 lead after the second inning.

“They (Spain Park) struggled defensively, but we didn’t get hits to capitalize on it," Hamrick said.

Thompson got on the board first in the second inning with a hit by Skylar Estell, who finished 1-for-3 and scored once. Ian Murray was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Jacob Swindle also scored. Matt Haskins was 1-for-2 and got on the board with one run scored.

Spain Park responded in the fourth inning with a run by Chris Ellis, who was 2-for-3. Ellis also had two RBI and one run scored. Zach Vardaman was 2-for-3 and finished with one RBI and a double. Mikey White was 1-for-2 and scored twice, while Carter White was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Charlie McPherson earned the win for the Jaguars (6-2) after allowing only five hits and four runs with four strikeouts and five walks. Colton Freeman saved the game in the final two innings with four strikeouts, two walks and no hits.

“All the teams in this tournament are all about the same,” said Spain Park coach Will Smith. "It comes down to pitches, and I thought Charlie did a good job,”

Smith wasn't as pleased with his players defensive effort behind McPherson.

“We are still making some errors out in the field which are some concerns," Smith said. "That’s tough to do and beat anybody. Fortunately we were able to overcome it."

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Thompson beats Pelham in battle of undefeated rivals

Thompson beats Pelham in battle of undefeated rivals

Matt Conde
Sports Editor
ALABASTER — The Thompson High School baseball team defeated Pelham 8-4 in a battle between two undefeated rivals Feb. 20 in the Birmingham Metro tournament with a packed house on hand in Alabaster
The Warriors, who are the two-time defending Metro tournament champions, saw five players score a run. Ian Murray scored twice for Thompson (6-0) and had two RBI, while Gus Williford was 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.
Matt Haskins and Adam McKenzie each scored a run. Haskins also had two RBI and a double. Skylar Estell was 0-for-3, but had two runs scored. Alex Henderson finished with an RBI.
Jacksonville State University signee Trae Santos finished the game 2-for-4 with one RBI and two doubles for the Panthers, who fell to 4-1. Michael Bishop scored two runs and had an RBI. Tripp Martin scored one run and drove in a run. Andrew Bishop scored one run.
Pelham got on the board first with a run in the first inning but fell behind later due to many errors. Pelham coach Jeff Mauldin gave credit to the Warriors for capitalizing on Pelham’s mistakes, which ultimately determined the outcome of the game.
“We played very poor, not Pelham baseball and somewhat embarrassing," said Pelham coach Jeff Mauldin. “We just got beat by a good team and for us to beat good teams, we’ve got to play a lot better. Playing like this is not accepted."
Thompson coach Pat Hamrick said the Warriors were fortunate the Panthers struggled in the field.
“We luckily got some breaks,” Hamrick said. “Our area is really tough. They (Pelham) have a great team, but we just got fortunate.”
Both teams will resume Metro tournament play on Monday, Feb. 22. Pelham will face Pinson Valley and Thompson will take on Spain Park.

More Birmingham Metro Tournament Coverage can be found by clicking HERE.

Mascots: Behind the Mask

Mascots: Behind the Mask

By Matt Conde

Sports Editor

Everyone has a memory as a child of seeing his or her favorite mascot, whether it be at Disney World or at a sporting event. However, have you ever wondered what it takes to be a mascot? Many hours go into planning, so that every spectator can have a positive and joyful experience with a mascot. Reading this will not spoil the secret that remains with a mascot, but it will perhaps give you a better appreciation for the hard work these furry characters give on a daily base.

Mascots are what bring the excitement to people as they perform and sometimes, it can bring an unpleasant side to someone as well. On a recent mascot appearance that Pelham High School's own, “Paws the Panther” was at, "Seeing a child smile is what keeps me going, despite the fact that I have someone's unattended child pulling my tail," Paws said. No matter where Paws may go, he seems to have some obnoxious fan aggravating him and always pulls off quite a popular fan club. "Not every place is like that though," Paws said, "Some places you have tight security where nothing can get to me thanks to the city’s finest," he explained. Being a mascot for a school may never have a dull moment, for it is a symbolic representative. Everyone knows who you are and the attention you get is equal to what a celebrity receives just walking down the street.

Now it is not everyday you see a panther walking down the street, so some mascots have to train a little bit harder to give that unforgettable performance. Between life in the spotlight and "study time, "Staying in shape and drinking your fluids is key to living a life as a hometown celebrity,” Paws said. Many people underestimate the dedication that Paws has for being a mascot. Paw’s love for the sport and his love for kids is portrayed as second-to-none. "With the kids following Paws around, it is hard to not just turn around and growl at them,” one fan explained. “You have to be patient, the ones that help you stay patient are the little children that have a crush on you until you get close,” Paws said.

Paws has made his mark throughout the community and he seems to want people to not be afraid of him. Other high school and college mascots have united throughout the community to help good causes such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). So the next time you hug a mascot or have your picture made, remember the hard hours and dedication these furry characters put in to help make a smile and a memory last a lifetime.

Lady and Gentlemen…Start your Engines

Lady and Gentlemen…Start your Engines

By Matt Conde

Sports Editor

With the 2010 Nascar season underway, Talladega Superspeedway is quickly gearing up to give the fans a first-class experience. The Talladega Superspeedway has been in the process of renovating its venue by updating the seating area. Before, there were seats that dated back to 1969, now there are larger and actually less seats to fill the lower grandstand of this massive venue. Yes, thats right fewer seats, in order to give fans four more inches of wiggle room, the mile stretch will be seeing 13,000 fewer fans.

Recently, the track upgraded its driving surface by repaving. Now the faster, smoother track will play host a new driver in the line-up, Danica Patrick. Danica is starting her rookie season after formerly racing Indy cars. Her season has started off a little bumpy after being involved in a crash at the Daytona 500, which was not caused by a pothole.

This season is revving up to be interesting. Nascar Drivers will make their way to Talladega on April 23^rd and 24^th to take part in Aaron’s Dream Weekend. The weekend will start with the ARCA Racing Series 250 and finish with the Aaron’s 312. More information regarding Aaron’s Dream Weekend can be found by clicking Here.

Photo By: Unknown

Recruiting Round-Up

Recruiting Round-up

By Matt Conde

Sports Editor

The hat tricks are done. The I’s have been dotted and the T’s have been crossed to make this year’s recruiting class officially inked. It has been a successful year for Alabama and Auburn as they pulled in top five classes, which did prove to be a shock for some. However, now that the players are signed, will they learn from their coaches to be successful?

As Nick Saban, Head Coach for University of Alabama, commented on signing day success, “Really it takes about two years to really evaluate whether you had a good recruiting class or not,” he stated in his post-signing day press conference. If Saban’s analysis is correct, the players from the 2008 recruiting class made this year’s team successful. Players included: Julio Jones, Marcell Dareus, Mark Barron, oh, and can’t forget Heisman Trophy Winner Mark Ingram.

Everyone knows Alabama has run the table ever since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa, but has Gene Chizik, Auburn Head Football Coach, found the wave of success that Alabama has been riding? It appears so. The Tigers had a great season in the eyes of realistic fans. They won their bowl game, started out 5-0 and came close to beating what would later be the national champions. Now they have pulled in the number three recruiting class in the nation, according to rivals.com. That beats Alabama in the rankings, which finished number five this year.

Regarding Auburns recruiting strategy, Gene Chizik said; “We came together and we really laid down a vision for what we wanted to try to do for the next recruiting class.”

Every school wants to recruit the best player, and every player obviously wants to go the best school. Between college visits, phone calls and having a family dinner with the head coach, it is not an easy task to convince eighteen-year-olds to sign their college careers away. Even Nick Saban cannot make the process easier, “There’s a lot that goes into having a successful recruiting class,” Saban said.

Two players shocked both Alabama and Auburn when they chose to play for different schools. Both Kennen Allen and Marcus Lattimore were highly-recruited players. Allen, whose eyes were set on the Crimson Tide, and Lattimore, who loved the Tigers, rethought their decision before signing day approached. Now Allen, a five-star defensive back, soon will play for the Cal Bears. Lattimore, the number one running back in the nation, chose to play for the Cocks in Columbia, South Carolina.

Overall, time will tell if these young athletes were worth all the hype. Some players that never received any attention will emerge as heroes, while others that lived in the spotlight will hit reality. So all that can be said now is, can they be coached?

Alabama’s Top Signed Players

1. DeMarcus Millner DB

2. C.J. Mosley LB

3. Phillip Sims QB

4. Arie Kouandjio OL

5. Corey Grant RB

Auburn’s Top Signed Players

1. Shon Coleman OL

2. Michael Dyer RB

3. Cameron Newton QB

4. Jeffrey Whitaker DT

5. Antonio Goodwin WR